


take me back to the start

by platonics



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Forgiveness, Nonbinary Character, Other, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Reunions, Tumblr Prompt, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-16 03:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20187433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platonics/pseuds/platonics
Summary: After Danganronpa, the idea of friendship takes on a new meaning.





	take me back to the start

**Author's Note:**

> "things you said when you were crying"
> 
> written at 3 am lmao

Neither of them were prone to big, dramatic displays of emotion -- not in the way so many other people were. It generally took something pretty major to reduce either one of them to tears. Korekiyo was fine with that. The full range of human sentiment was beautiful, of course, especially from someone as lovely as Himiko, but they loved her more subdued demeanor just as much. 

In fact, it was one of the things that had drawn them to her in the first place. People were so wonderful to observe, but directly interacting with them was something else entirely. They weren't very good at it, based on the types of reactions they tended to get, but Himiko wasn't put off by their odd behavior. She was misunderstood too, although in different ways, and that shared experience allowed them to connect on a deeper level.

In their current situation, however, not even Himiko could be mistaken as apathetic. Korekiyo had managed to avoid being too visibly affected by the situation itself, acting as if this reunion was the sort of thing that happened every day, but when she started crying, they could feel their own eyes beginning to prickle with unshed tears as well. 

It had been so long.

"I missed you," Himiko said quietly, voice wobbling, and Kiyo's heart broke. They'd never realized, or perhaps never allowed themselves to realize, how much she really cared about them. The gesture feeling awkward after so long without human contact, they pulled her into a hug. 

It was then that Himiko really dissolved into tears, arms wrapping around them almost tight enough to hurt. They smiled slightly under their mask, running their fingers through her hair and letting her cry.

"Yes," Korekiyo said, surprised at how unsteady their voice was too. "I missed you too, Yumeno-san. I'm certain things would have been much brighter the past few weeks with you around. You've been with Saihara-kun and Harukawa-san though, yes? I'm sure they were enjoyable enough company. Better than my own, in all likelihood."

"I mean, yeah, it's been okay," Himiko mumbled once she'd gotten ahold of herself a little more. "But they're not better than you. I...really did miss you, Shinguuji. A lot." She pulled out of his embrace just enough to make eye contact, expression dead serious despite the fact that she was still all teary-eyed. "I mean that. I would've been here sooner if I could've. And even before that...it all would've happened sooner, if we had only known..." Himiko trailed off, and Korekiyo didn't push her to continue. They knew what she was trying to say.

"Don't blame yourself. The information wasn't readily available, from what I've heard. In fact, it's more likely that Team Danganronpa would have preferred to keep it from the three of you indefinitely. This can't have been good for their reputation." They didn't particularly like thinking about what could have happened. It was enough to alarm anyone, how close they'd come to spending the rest of their life comatose, along with all their other 'deceased' classmates. Auctioned off to the highest bidder. Korekiyo tried to avoid passing moral judgment on anything, in the interest of remaining an objective observer, but that was abhorrent. The people behind it were a great deal worse than the teenagers they'd turned into killers.

Himiko pressed closer again, taking a deep breath and just standing there in silence. They didn't do anything to shatter the fragile peace, wanting to allow her a moment to gather herself. Eventually, she spoke again.

"No, it hasn't been good for them. A lot of people are trying to sue, I think. Families of people from earlier seasons. But they deserve it. We would've found out the truth eventually, no matter what. They wouldn't have been allowed to get away with it any longer." The second part was left unspoken; if the survivors had found out much after they did, it might have been too late. 

"I appreciate your dedication," they replied. "I'm certain the others do too." Carefully, not letting go of Himiko for fear the loss of contact would upset her, they took a step back, and then another, guiding her to sit down next to them. She did, only to promptly cuddle into their side. Korekiyo couldn't remember the last time anyone had been so physically affectionate with them without having any ulterior motives. Maybe never. Sure, they'd established a comfortable friendship in the early part of the killing game, but not to this extent. Frankly, they were surprised that she wanted to be around them at all after the rather unpleasant terms they'd parted on.

"Yumeno-san," they said delicately, unable to get past that sense of curiosity. "Not that it isn't appreciated, but may I ask why you're here visiting me instead of your other friends?"

"I want to be here," she said simply, laying her head on their shoulder. "I cared about you. _Care_ about you." Transfixed by the way she acted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, they were rendered speechless for a moment. What had they ever done to deserve such kindness?

"I...thank you, Yumeno-san."

“No need to thank me. And if you want...you could call me Himiko, y'know. I mean, I wouldn't mind," she mumbled, and all at once, Kiyo remembered.

It went to show how foggy their brain still was to forget something like that. It hadn't been terribly momentous at the time, but looking back, yes, it made sense that Himiko still managed to care about them despite their crimes. 

"The night after Toujou's trial," they said, the memory crystal clear now. "When you came to my room." It had been a surprise, Himiko coming to them of all people for comfort and reassurance, but they'd let her in. At the time, though they were a little ashamed to think about it now, it had simply been a good opportunity to observe her more closely for Sister. 

Either way though, they'd indulged her need for attention, telling her myriad stories from their travels and asking about her magic in turn. Their conversation had carried on long past midnight, and Himiko ultimately wound up falling asleep right there in his room. Before she'd drifted off though, she'd admitted that before arriving at the academy, she'd never once had a true friend. Korekiyo, once again doing so with all the wrong intentions, had assured her that she'd never have to worry about being lonely like that again, because they thought she was a wonderful friend.

"Yeah," she said. "That was part of it. I mean, I know that you didn't really..." She sniffled, and Korekiyo started to wish that they hadn't regained a sense of guilt. "Well, that didn't change the fact that I really did enjoy being around you. I liked you a lot, and it made me happy, spending time together, so...We can be friends for real now, if you'd like."

"Yes, Himiko," they breathed, her given name feeling unfamiliar but oddly thrilling on their tongue. "I'd like that very much. I'll do my best to be worthy of that honor this time."


End file.
